James Taylor at Xcel Energy Center
JAMES TAYLOR TOUR DATES Jun 19 Ravinia Festival Highland Park, IL* (*= James Taylor & His All-Star Band with special guest Tiny Habits) Read More
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How Sweet It (still) Is!
At 77-years-young, the legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor can still pack arenas, and we’ve all still got a friend in Sweet Baby James! Still working hard on the road, his current 23-date tour rolled into downtown St. Paul at the Xcel Energy Center, and our resident Fan-in-the-Stands took the night in, to give us his uncredentialed report from the bleachers.
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Boston bred-band Tiny Habits opened the evening, and made more of a king-size than tiny impression to our fan, in support of last year’s debut album, All For Something (on Mom+Pop Records), which followed up their 2023 EP. The trio consists of Berklee College of Music students Cinya Khan and Maya Rae and alumnus Judah Mayowa and they’ve previously supported Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, Lake Street Dive, and others already, since forming during the pandemic.
The band quickly made an impression to the early arrivers with their harmonies and well-crafted songs, after also attracting the attention from the likes of David Crosby and Justin Timberlake. So impressed (especially on their Fleetwood Mac cover), our fan reporter darted to the merch table following their set, hoping to pick up the album in his still-format of choice (CD), but alas, it’s on vinyl or digital only!
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As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has showered the people with his familial voice and distinct guitar work, as well as numerous songs that have become a part of the cultural zeitgeist, for more than five decades.
Since 1968, he’s been given almost every accolade possible, has sold more than 100 million albums, finally got his first #1 album with 2015’s Before This World, won multiple Grammy Awards, and has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and the Songwriters Halls of Fame.
Oh, and was awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French and our National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor. Not bad, JT.
And at his age, he’s still steamrolling on the road, keeping active with regular touring, which we should all appreciate. Since Taylor always sang in a mostly gentle tone, his voice has changed over the decades but not lost much, and he surprisingly seemed to be more talkative between songs, than in previous outings.
Taylor told the story of losing his guitar right before a huge mid-80’s concert in Rio, (only to be saved by fellow legendary musician Gilberto Gil, who loaned him one of his own), mentioned the love of his guitars custom-made by MN craftsman Jim Olsen (who beamed from the audience upon hearing those words), and even told several ‘old man’ jokes that got many more laughs, than groans.
All of this, coupled with Taylor’s quietly powerful songs, made the arena more intimate and somewhat seem more like a friendly club show rather than a distant, cavernous experience.
Taylor started his just over two-hour set with several location songs, “Wandering”, “Road Runner”, “Stretch of the Highway”, “Mexico” and “Carolina on my Mind”, enhanced by the screen visuals- a virtual musical road trip that everyone in the arena, was more than happy to strap in and ride along with.
As usual, Taylor’s large and experienced band was musically spot-on all evening, featuring many longtime members including sax player Lou Marini (of way back Blues Brothers fame) and their MN bassist, Jimmy Johnson, who’s had that role for the last thirty-five years.
After a couple Carole King covers, Taylor, ever the activist, couldn’t help but slip in “No Kings...except Carole” to rave applause. He also would briefly touch on the tragedy of recent local lawmakers’ deaths, empathizing with the community’s grief and hardship, followed by an appropriate and heartfelt “Shower the People.”
The three-song encore began with the fun chugging “Steamroller Blues” followed by a sax-driven “How Sweet It Is” and the evening would close more solemnly with Taylor dueting with his son Henry backed by openers Tiny Habits, all harmonizing on the finale of “You Can Close Your Eyes.”
Like a comfortable sweater or well-worn pair of shoes, it’s a warm feeling to know you've still got a musical friend in the smiling face of James Taylor, still singing about fire and rain and everything in-between, after all these decades.
(A Fan-In-The-Stands Report- all reporting and photography by JOHN RAFALSKI)
click on any image to enlarge and to see in full JAMES TAYLOR at Xcel Energy Center St. Paul MN (2025-06-17)
JAMES TAYLOR at Xcel Energy Center St. Paul MN (2025-06-17)
| John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap |
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